How do I download songs to my MP3 player?

Hi Dave, I just got a brand new Samsung D500 and I want to put music onto it via USB cable, but it won't work. How do I do it?

Dave's Answer:

First off, a disclaimer: I don't have a Samsung D500 so I can't test out what I'm going to explain here. However, just about all the MP3 players on the market work in the same way - and it's how the Sony PSP works too, in fact - so let's just talk about the general solution for downloading music onto an MP3 player.

The first step is to see if there's any special software available from the vendor to help the process along. With the D500, for example, go to the Samsung Web site and click on "Support", then type in the product name. I typed in D500 and then choose "TV, video and audio". Wrong choice: no matches. I tried again with "Computer and related products" and got a list of three possible matches, one of which is your product, the SGH-D500.

Turns out that the D500 is a mobile phone, actually, not a simple MP3 player at all (wish you would have mentioned that, btw!) but I figured it out. Turns out that there's a raft of different user manuals available on the D500 download center page, and, clicking on the Software tab, it turns out that there's software you can download from Samsung too, including "Samsung PC Studio PC Sync (ver 2.0)" which is probably what you'd want.

Generally, though, if you don't have any software or can't find anything for your MP3 device (which, as you can see, includes cellphones!) then you should be able to copy across MP3-format audio files by:

Hooking up the device to a USB connection on your computer.
Going through the settings on your device to find a "USB CONNECT" or "USB MODE" option. Some devices do that automatically when they detect power on the USB cable, others (like the Sony PSP) require you to do it manually).
Your computer should now automatically detect the device, probably showing it as a removable hard disk. Both Macs and Windows XP computers do a very good job with this, older operting systems can be more challenging (e.g., Windows 98, MacOS 9).

Now you just need to rummage around a bit and figure out where music files should be stored. One way to do this is to pay for one song to be downloaded from a service, if that's an option, then see if you can find where it's stored on your MP3 device and drop other songs into the same place. If that's not an option, then just put a few songs in different directories and see if your device can find it once you disconnect and try to play a song or two.

Hope that helps you out! If anyone wants to send me a fancy MP3 player so I can test it out, I'd be happy to hear from you. :-)

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Reader Comments To Date: 671

Ashlea said, on January 1, 2006 5:19 PM:

i just got a brand new Rumba 2500 for Christmas. I got evrything in the right place and it is not working, help me please.

kristina said, on January 2, 2006 3:05 PM:

i got an mp3 player for christmas and i got a cd that came with it to download 5 free songs. and i'm trying to copy cd's on my windows media player and put them on my mp3 player, but it doesn't work, what do i do?

Dave Taylor said, on January 2, 2006 9:40 PM:

That's probably because you have incompatible music formats. You've probably downloaded WMA (windows media, audio) format files, which is what the Media Player prefers, but your player is, obviously, an MP3 player. You need a conversion program if that's the problem: go to download.com and search for 'wma mp3 converter' to see your options. Good luck!

isaac hinojos said, on January 4, 2006 4:48 PM:

I got an mp3 for christmas and i put it in my computer and it worked fine.Then i tried to download a wma and it showed it was on the mp3.So i took it out safely and when i tried to play it and it just shut off.My brother borrowed some mp3 beats and so i put those on there and they worked
fine.So i'm asking if you know how to turn wma songs to mp3 or dyou know how to download songs to mp3.P.S. My mp3 is an audio solutions

Dave Taylor said, on January 4, 2006 4:51 PM:

Sure do, Isaac. Check out:

http://www.askdavetaylor.com/convert_wma_from_windows_media_player_into_mp3_files.html

Stella said, on January 6, 2006 2:43 PM:

I got an MP3 player for christmas but I don't know how to put the music from limewire on my MP3 player what should I do?

ashley morgan said, on January 8, 2006 3:34 PM:

i bought a sungale mp3 player for myself(it was cheap... 69.00) and i downloaded a cd onto the windows media player, but i dont know how to get it from the media player to the mp3. i am completly computer retarded. please help. thanx ash.

Beth said, on January 16, 2006 6:14 PM:

I got a MP3 player for Christmas in is a RCA Lyra, and I downloaded the program Limewire, and I have no idea how to get the songs onto my Mp3 player. IThe sone will download fine3 onto my computer but then after that I'm clueless! Please Help Dave!

Johnae said, on January 17, 2006 8:02 PM:

i actually have a question i also got an mp3 player for christmas and i have yet found out how to put music on it what am i supposed to do

Lori said, on February 25, 2006 9:16 AM:

Help! I am trying to transfer songs to my MP3 player from itunes. I have an MP3 folder and put it in there, tried copying and pasting, not working! What's a girl to do??? Thanks for your time. Lori

Ben said, on March 4, 2006 6:34 PM:

I have a SGH-p777 and every time i try to put mp3 songs on it it doesnt let me an i dont know what to do.

Dave Taylor said, on March 4, 2006 7:50 PM:

Ben, I'd check the user's guide for your phone to ensure that you're using it exactly correctly, that you have the phone in the correct mode, and that you have enough space on the phone SIM or data card to store the song or songs you want to transfer. See:

http://www.samsung.com/Products/MobilePhones/Cingular/files/p777.pdf

charles heiston said, on April 14, 2006 10:51 AM:

how do you put songs from other web site on to i tunes

Emma said, on April 21, 2006 1:09 PM:

I have an MP3 player and I don't know how to set it up, it came with a small CD and I can't seem to work with it. PLEASE HELP ME

V.ORTIZ said, on May 10, 2006 9:44 PM:

WHAT UP!! I'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR A WHILE OVER THE NET LOOKING FOR A MP3 PLAYER THAT CAN UPLOAD 30-40 TRACKS FOR MY SITE WITH DOWN LOAD OPTION
FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DOWN LOAD MY MUSIC.

Cathy said, on May 19, 2006 7:38 AM:

Hi
I just bought an mp4 player. Its just like an mp3 player but ive tried to download some songs from my cd on there but it won't work. I dont know how to do it as my manual doesnt tell me. ive tried with my computer but that wornt work either. help please

cathy

Cathy said, on May 19, 2006 7:39 AM:

Hi
I just bought an mp4 player. Its just like an mp3 player but ive tried to download some songs from my cd on there but it won't work. I dont know how to do it as my manual doesnt tell me. ive tried with my computer but that wornt work either. help please

cathy

Letty said, on May 19, 2006 9:01 PM:

Ok, I got a mp3 and I don't know how to put music in it ,PLEASE HELP ME!

hilla said, on May 22, 2006 2:32 PM:

Hi

I just downloaded lots of aongs onto my new mp4 player but after a while they all disappeared and my mp4 player just switched off.

What can I do plz

patrick said, on June 12, 2006 1:22 PM:

i got in rca mp3 play and i got a cd and want to take songs from that and put them on my mp3 player how do i do that can i do that or how do i put songs on it i want to put songs on it

jeara smith said, on June 19, 2006 3:27 PM:

hi

i have an mp3 player and i cant seem to put music on there from my libary off the computer.May u please help me?

Natalie said, on June 29, 2006 11:50 AM:

Hey,
I just got this mp3 player it is a creative and i am searchin through the internent and im trying to find a site where i can download music for free..Is it Possible...? I feel like my head is going to break..Can you help me PLEASE?

Natalie said, on June 29, 2006 11:50 AM:

Hey,
I just got this mp3 player it is a creative and i am searchin through the internent and im trying to find a site where i can download music for free..Is it Possible...? I feel like my head is going to break..Can you help me PLEASE?

kimberly said, on August 8, 2006 3:52 PM:

hi i know how to put songs on my mp3 player already and i done it before but i have limewire where i get my music from and the music i download automaticaly goes to i tunes but evey time i copy the song it never paste in the usb thing wheere my songs from my mp3 are so please help me

Kory said, on August 10, 2006 6:42 AM:

i have an mp3 player and i bought some songs off of itunes. how do i download them to my mp3 player

donald said, on August 19, 2006 5:52 AM:

how do i download songs from my limewire to my computer to my mp3 brand next tech it came with a small disk but it doesn't fit into my computer can you please help me thank you donald

anika said, on August 19, 2006 12:10 PM:

dear dave,
I am looking into getting an mp3. I don't know anything about them, and i don't know how t download songs from the computer onto it.Help?

ALICE said, on August 21, 2006 12:38 PM:

HI I JUST BROUGHT AN MP3 PLAYER HOW DO I PUT MUSIC ON IT HELP

Heather said, on August 23, 2006 8:25 PM:

I just got an MP3 player it came with a manual, but I still have no idea how to put music on it. Everything with the WMA and USB and everything does't make any sense to me. Im not good with computers, like at all. Help me please!!

Dee said, on September 11, 2006 7:51 PM:

I have a Mp4 player with flash disk and I can't put music on plus the computers in the house can't even tell that I have it plugged in. I am giving up...... So please help if u can. Dee

Tina said, on September 18, 2006 8:44 AM:

Hi
I bought an mp3 player and i have no idea how to get music from limewire or my windows media player on to it
PLEASE HELP ME!!
Tina

TINKERBELL said, on September 20, 2006 7:29 PM:

HEY I GOT A COBY MP-C827 AND MY COMPUTER WONT DETECT IT WHAT DO I DO?????????

black pearl said, on October 14, 2006 1:15 PM:

I have an mp3 player but when I link it to my pc with usb my computer doesn't detect the driver.
Does anyone know a driver do that I will be able to see my mp3 files

plzz help:(

Jessica said, on October 15, 2006 11:27 AM:

I got an mp3 player like 2 weeks ago. I have the USB mp3 player on-line. and i can't get the songs from limewire to the USB and then on to my mp3 player. Do u no how?
Jess

Ayonna said, on October 24, 2006 8:30 AM:

I got an mp3 player, but i dont know how to put songs on it! I little help please!!

Madison said, on November 1, 2006 7:56 PM:

i got an mp3 player for free from an order at staples and i dont know how to get the soings from limewire onto my mp3 player please help

Julie. said, on November 13, 2006 10:13 PM:

I have a Creative mp3 player. I've downloaded songs into it. But I've been using this "Mtv's Urge" thingy? It was a free trial, free music, whatever. But every time I try putting my downloaded songs into my mp3 player, it says "requires a license" or something.

Why is is doing that? I don't have a license?
HELP? :]

Sophie said, on November 24, 2006 9:00 AM:

When I plug my mp3 player into my computer, it says no device was detected. Someone else told me to sync it with Windows Media player, but it won't let me do that either. What do you think?
Thanks
Sophie

Alissa said, on December 2, 2006 2:15 PM:

Hi I got a coby mp3 player and i was wondering if you could tell me websites that could download songs on it and actully play

Monica said, on December 23, 2006 2:37 PM:

Hi i have had my mp4 since last christmas and i still do not know how to download any songs or set it up. It came with a manual and cd but i still do not know what to do. Please help me because I really want to use it soon.

aaron said, on December 24, 2006 6:28 PM:

i just got a gpx mp3 player. i dont know how to put music on it

lashe said, on December 25, 2006 8:58 AM:

how do i put music on my mp4 player

forgot? said, on December 25, 2006 1:25 PM:

this site isnt helping i see no point in this not all mp3s are the same btw! so for your information i think wi should git a professional oot her fur god sake!!!!!!!! please your not helping !!!!!!!1

alex said, on December 25, 2006 2:44 PM:

i picked out all my songs but i dont know how to put the songs on the mp3 player

Hailea Cross said, on December 25, 2006 5:30 PM:

I got a Mp3 for x-mas & I don't know how to download music on to it! Please help!!!...

Dave Taylor said, on December 25, 2006 7:14 PM:

You're right that mp3 players work quite differently and that what works for one might not work for another. Generally, though, they seem to work with Windows Media Player on the PC, or they have their own music jukebox application. If you have a specific mp3 model, post it with your help request and we'll see what we can do!

liza said, on December 26, 2006 1:29 AM:

i have had a mp3 for christmas and i cant set it up ?
not sure what to do how been trying since xmas day still no joy can amy body help me ?
thanks

Tyler Watson said, on December 26, 2006 6:56 AM:

Waz Up ya'll
I just got an ipod for xmas, but I can;t figure out how too put songs on it from a c.d to the ipod.
I would really apreciate it if someone wrote me back to tell me how, or another place on the computer that is easier!

Danielle Smith said, on December 26, 2006 1:28 PM:

I got a digital mp3 player for Christmas and I have NO clue on how to download songs or anything on my mp3 player.

kelcie said, on December 26, 2006 3:16 PM:

I got an MP3 player for christmas but I don't know how to put the music from limewire on my MP3 player what should I do?

ANICA said, on December 26, 2006 4:05 PM:

HELO I JUST GOT A NEW MP3 PLAYER AND I NEED TO KNOW HOW DO I DOWNLOAD MUSIC ON IT MY MP3 PLAYER IS A USB MP3-WMA-REC-PLAYER

Maria said, on December 27, 2006 5:48 PM:

I just got a digital mp4 player and whenever I hook the USB cable into the thing it won't show that it's in it so i can't transfer music onto it. It shows a picture on the screen of my mp4 player of the cord and the monitor with "zzZz" and an arrow pointing to the cord to the monitor like i neeed to plug it in, but it already is!! PLEAAASEE HELP!!!

james said, on December 28, 2006 2:47 AM:

just bought mp3 player no idea how to download my free limewire tunes onto it

Triciaa said, on December 28, 2006 4:30 PM:

i have a MP3 player but i dont know how to put songs onto it with itunes because i cant use urge or windows help!!!

Amber said, on December 30, 2006 1:44 PM:

I jus got an mp4 player for x-mas and i'm trying to download music to it but i don't know how? Please help me!!??!! Thank you!

sherri said, on December 31, 2006 12:15 PM:

Hi I have a Coby Mpc848 MP3 player and I have Win 98 operating system. I have tried to figure out how to work it. I tried downloading the Windows Media Player 10 as the COby USA website said and my computer won't take it with the 98. Can you help me? Thank you!

mehsi said, on January 1, 2007 2:04 AM:

i have one sony mp3 player i update that by wrong fireware and it dosent turn on . and when i conect to pc dont know it in usb port what i shoud do?
thanks

Delia said, on January 1, 2007 7:37 AM:

I have bought my son an mp3/mp4 player for christmas and when I plug it in it says device not recognized. I have tried to unplug it and restart the computer but that didn't work either. Please help!!!!

Wan said, on January 1, 2007 4:43 PM:

Dave Taylor,
What if I don't Want to give out my personal info.?
Like name e-mail address

jeff cunningham said, on January 4, 2007 6:46 PM:

it going on and off what should i do

clueless said, on January 7, 2007 3:32 PM:

I got an MP3 player for christmas and i went to download songs onto windows media player and it would not let me. Do you know what is wrong?

HELP

JULIE said, on January 8, 2007 2:08 PM:

I got an rca mp3 player for Christmas and can't download music off of rhapsody or Windows Media. Am I doing something wrong? What to do? Please help!!!

Samira said, on January 13, 2007 7:15 PM:

I got an mp3 player for Christmas and i don't know to put songs on it.I have been trying for so long and still have not figured it out.I need some HELP big time.

Completely Baffled said, on January 16, 2007 5:46 AM:

Hi Dave

I've just bought a Philips MP3 player and I can't get any songs from a CD onto it. What the heck am I doing wrong cos it's driving me nuts - the manual is useless. Help!

Sam said, on January 18, 2007 10:16 AM:

I can't download music on to my MP3 payer. What am I doing wrong?

loyd cole said, on January 20, 2007 5:13 PM:

i can onley put one cd one my mp3 play at a time. if i try to put more on it.it overlap on the one i just did can you help me.yes i am dum

thank you

loyd cole

tina said, on January 21, 2007 8:23 AM:

how do i get music on on my mp3 i know how to get it on my ipod
1 go to itunes download it
open ma limewire
open my songs on to itunes
but i jus dotn know how to get songs on my mp3 do i have to download another program for mp3
from please help

Marcia said, on January 29, 2007 6:57 AM:

I have a digital mp4-3 player model 708 I am having troblue putting song on it when I go to audio and press okay it said no file what do that mean?

Julie said, on February 3, 2007 3:33 PM:

hi i just got a mp3 and how do i put the songs from limewire on to it????HELP ME!!!!

maria said, on February 9, 2007 10:20 AM:

well i tryed to put itunes on my dell xp computer and it wont let me what should i do?and i dont know how to put music on my i pod please help me!!!!

Jena said, on February 10, 2007 9:58 AM:

I have a COBY MP-C827 mp3 player and my computers cd thingy doesnt work so I cant put the cd in that it came with to upload music and stuff. anyone know of a site or something that I can download the program? the coby electronics doesnt offer the download for this specific one.
So that option is out the window. any help would be greatly appreciated.

junaid said, on February 11, 2007 4:11 PM:

hi dave i canot put music on to my mp3 can you help me?

from junaid mirza

cathy said, on February 12, 2007 3:58 AM:

how do i download music onto my mp3 player ?

fred said, on February 12, 2007 2:21 PM:

u guys gotta be kidding me its not that hard to put songs onto a mp3 player......u hook it into the computer using a usb cable and then if it comes up it should tell u to download drivers for it or if u got a cd install the program on the cd and it shuold work......and u cant put music onto it straight from limewire u gotta use wmp or the cd u got with it

sania said, on February 13, 2007 2:57 PM:

Hey,

I just got a MP4, and I don't know how to download songs in it. Can you please help me!

Thanx

krystal said, on February 17, 2007 5:19 AM:

how do i find the right place to down load free songs on to my mp3 player

Nadeem said, on February 18, 2007 7:38 AM:

got an mp3 player, but i dont know how to put songs on it! I little help please

frances said, on February 21, 2007 5:49 AM:

I have a mp3 player it is alba i tried all morning to download it an i am getting fustarated
HELP ME PLEASE

Selam said, on February 21, 2007 11:25 AM:

I also got a Coby c827 and there is absolutely no way I can figure it out. My brother gave it to me without a the CD software downloadable thing but from what I hear, the CD doesn't help. I'm rusty in the electronic's area, please help! Like what site's to download from and how to save them onto the mp3. Thanks.

kyle said, on February 21, 2007 12:30 PM:

how can you put music on my sony mp3. it's a 2005 512 mb

cathy said, on February 21, 2007 1:03 PM:

i have a dell computer and i went to copy songs onto a mp3 player but couldn't do i am suppose to go into my computer and look at either e-drive or a f- drive but all i got is a c-drive can you please help me

Leon said, on February 21, 2007 2:04 PM:

i have a sandisk sansa m240 and i downloaded songs from limewire and i have to transfer them to my computer (it doesn't have internet) and every time i try to get them to play on both my computer and my mp3 player they are just blank? how do i fix this?

Rebecca said, on February 21, 2007 7:58 PM:

I have a panasonic mp3, and I'm totally clueless, my friend usually helps, but I want to be independent. Help!!

brian said, on February 22, 2007 11:42 PM:

i just got a 256 mb mp3 player....i had some song on it i changed my mind so i deleated the songs off of it..i tryed adding new songs on to it but the the computer keeps saying the mp3 player is full.What do i do?

kim said, on February 23, 2007 4:38 PM:

dave i badly need your help how can i download music into my mp-c827.I got it for my confirmation present please help me.

billy said, on February 24, 2007 8:51 PM:

i got am mp4 player 4 x-mas and since then, i downloaded a buch of songs from limewire but i cant quite put the songs on my mp4 player

PLEASE HELP!

Sarah said, on February 26, 2007 7:27 AM:

My grandma got me an Mp10 player. When I used it for the first time I tried to download the songs after using the disk. Then in 2 hrs my mp10 just shut off I keep trying to make it come on with a new battery but it wont work what do I do?

Megan said, on March 1, 2007 3:39 PM:

i just got a new mp3 player, and it set up fine, but my windows media player 10 won't detect the mp3!!!! on the box, it said it is compatible with windows media player 10 or xp!!please help!!!!!!!!

kunle said, on March 2, 2007 7:23 AM:

i don`t know how to download songs and videos toi my mp4,can u give me a good website where i can download mp3 and mp4 pls,am waitin,,,,,,,,,,,,

dude said, on March 2, 2007 3:41 PM:

hey dave i want to nowhat sites i can get free music without needing a credit card or a cell phone can u tell me tnx

Matty said, on March 3, 2007 1:53 AM:

Yo dude!
I just got a emblaze phone and i dont know how to get music on its mp3.
can i have some help
write back
matty

Christabel said, on March 4, 2007 10:20 AM:

Hi i'm Christabel i have an mp3 player i don't know how to put songs in it. can you tell me how please? thanks

laila said, on March 6, 2007 3:57 AM:

hey
i got a mp4 n i need to download songs on it help me out here

emily said, on March 6, 2007 3:12 PM:

I just started using limewire and i can't figure out how to put the songs on my samsung mp3 player.Please help.
emily

Ayla said, on March 7, 2007 12:36 PM:

I Got An MP3 Recently & I Put The MP3 USB Into The USB Port, & A Bubble Pops Up At The Bottom Of My Screen That Says : Found New Hardware. I Followed The Troubleshooting Tips, But Nothing Seems To Work. How Do I Transfer Songs Onto It? Is There Any Program I Can Run?

danielle said, on March 8, 2007 11:17 AM:

elo how do i put songs on my mp4 player! bu i put it into me computer nd noten cums up! wat do i do?
danielle

danielle said, on March 8, 2007 11:21 AM:

elo how do i put songs on my mp4 player! but i put it into my computer nd notting comes up! wat do i do?
danielle

Tyron said, on March 8, 2007 2:12 PM:

I just bought a new Mp4 player and I don't know how to put music on it.

Xiomara said, on March 10, 2007 4:34 PM:

Hey Dave i just got a Mp3 player and i have no idea how to get music on it. Please Help.

faye said, on March 11, 2007 5:53 PM:

i've just got a chocolate phone and really need help downloading songs onto it, can you help?

I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!

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How do I download songs to my MP3 player?

Reader Comments To Date: 671

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